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December 25, 2007
And a very Merry Christmas to All!

We are relaxing at home today, having recently completed our Christmas concert season.  A few of my favorite memories:

12/12  Plaza West Senior Living Center, Sun City Center ... Don Pigeon and I were able to accommodate a last-minute call to entertain in this nursing home.  I always enjoy these gigs, because they're some of our most appreciative audiences.  Don and I went in, prepared to have fun, but I was unprepared for just how much fun we'd have!  We played as much Christmas music as we could, which inspired a lot of singing, even to the instrumentals.  And alternating with  the familiar carols, a few of our favorites from the pub repertoire.  In setting up the Rare Old Mountain Dew, Don described it as a song about moonshine, to which a female voice shouted out, "My kind of song!"  At the conclusion of the performance, I met a lady who'd just turned 100 years old.  And seriously, she didn't look a day over 80 ...

12/15  The Lippy-Renfroe Party, Lakeland ... Matt Miller, Elly Gilmore and I covered this one.  It's such a nice get-together; Laurel (Renfroe) and Bill (Lippy) have a tradition of hosting a lavish Christmas party to which they invite friends, co-workers and family, rather than buying a bunch of token gifts.  The food's always great; this year the three of us discovered Bill's wonderful seafood soup ...  apparently he's made it every year since anyone can remember, but I never knew it was there, which may be a good thing because I might've insisted on setting my dulcimer up next to the soup kettle!  We laugh, play lots of music, Elly tells humorous stories ... one of this year's highlights was when Bill's band joined us for a couple of numbers:  Will The Circle Be Unbroken and I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.

12/17  First Baptist Church, St. Petersburg ... The whole gang -- Don, Matt, Elly, Ann & Cal Lloyd and Robin Hendrickson, plus Greg McGrath at the sound board -- was together for this one.  First Baptist is a group who loves to sing! They love Ann & Cal's dancing!  They have such a terrific sense of humor, laughing in all the right places.  And they couldn't be more gracious: they were very understanding and solicitous of Matt, who was a bit under the weather.  It was a power packed hour, then we went on down the road to ...

12/17  Lely Palms Retirement Center, Naples ... Don, Elly, Ann & Cal, Robin and I gave Matt the evening off to rest and recover from whatever bug had been ailing him.  The singing, once again, was sweet.  This gig's a little more laid-back, with banter between the performers, and between the performers and the audience.  Elly was surprised to meet up with a fellow Scot, who grew up less than 10 miles from the place where Elly grew up.  It's a small world, indeed.

12/18  First Presbyterian Church, Arcadia ... All of the gigs are special to me; this one's special because I grew up in Arcadia, so there are a lot of people in the audience who remember the goofy things I did as a kid -- or were kids by my side doing the goofy things along with me!  Garrison Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion, once said, "talented people have a hard row to hoe in small towns.  Mystery is so useful to a performer, don't you know.  That's why we have a backstage.  But when you play in a small town you are playing in front of people who know you much too well.  Know all sorts of things about you.  And one of the things that all of them are thinking as they watch you play is, 'If she were really any good she wouldn't be here.' "  Garrison Keillor has great insight,  but I'd have to disagree a bit with the last sentence.  I have never once felt that anyone in our Arcadia audiences regards me as anything other than a rock star.  Matt broke out his electric fiddle to do a wild version of the Orange Blossom Special ... Matt and Robin did this funny improvisational bit on the Banjo Breakdown ... Don overcame jitters to do a heartfelt rendition of Auld Lang Syne ... Ann & Cal, adjusting to their really small staging area, made me remember that line about angels being able to dance on the head of a pin ... and I was almost overcome by a wave of nostalgia as I performed my late mother's favorite medley of When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder and I'll Fly Away. 

12/19  Congregational United Church Of Christ, Punta Gorda ... This was the 8th Annual staging of Christmas With The Celts at its birthplace.  There were a number of people in the audience who said that they've caught the show every year; for them, it just isn't Christmas without seeing our show.  The concert has evolved and grown over the eight years, and so has Punta Gorda's Congregational Church: this year, the addition of cameras and two big screens at the front of the auditorium made it a multi-media event.  One of my favorite moments was the performance of a second Irish reel by Ann & Cal.  In our shorter shows, we're able to perform only one Irish reel, but on this night (and the previous night) they performed what they consider their secondary reel, which features a few bars of solo dancing by first Cal, then Ann.  I just love watching this part -- if I can watch without making too many mistakes, that is!  I also thoroughly enjoyed my duet, with Don, on Away In The Manger.  Many of the people in this audience are regulars at Elly's establishment The Bean On 41, so she's got quite a following that almost starts to laugh before she opens her mouth, knowing that whatever she says is going to be witty and full of fun.

12/20  Westminster Towers, Orlando ... I have family who live in the greater Orlando area, and an uncle who is a resident of Westminster Towers, so I really looked forward to this performance.  We played an acoustic set for the Health Care Center residents first.  Ben, my uncle,  sat directly behind me and it was so sweet to listen to him singing along with all of the Christmas carols.  Every individual in our group is so personable and gracious; they gave a great performance, then 15 minutes of meet 'n greet that I'm sure will be a cherished Christmas memory for those audience members.  We were treated to a wonderful -- and amazingly non-institutional -- meal in the main dining room, then went on to give what I believe was our best performance of the 2007 season.  For sure, Matt reached a whole new level on his improvisational part on the Orange Blossom Special, performed this evening on acoustic fiddle.  He was absolutely on a completely different plane, and the rest of us just listened in amazement and awe.  All of my Orlando area family -- including my two newest cousins, 18 month old Luke and 21 month old Haile -- were in attendance; even Ben came for his second helping of Christmas With The Celts for the day.

12/22  Church On The Square, The Villages ... Always the culmination of our run, and always an exciting and power-packed performance to an SRO crowd.  From the opening strains of O Come All Ye Faithful (our pipe processional, for which Robin had actually strung his drones with Christmas lights!) to Matt's thundering standing ovation for his medley of The Teetotaler / Scotland / Bill Cheatham to the final joyous dancing to the tune of Scotland The Brave, there were smiles all around in our group and smiles on the faces of the huge audience.  Many folks at The Villages echoed the sentiments of our Punta Gorda friends who'd said that their personal Christmas season wouldn't be complete unless they've seen the newest installment of Christmas With The Celts.  And then, before we knew it, we were having our cast party at Ruby Tuesday's and lamenting that the season had come to a close.

I've enjoyed working with practically everyone who's played Christmas With The Celts over the years.  But I must say that this line-up is by far my favorite.  Every single person works as hard as s/he can to make the production shine; every one is generous and encouraging of everyone else; every one is willing to share the spotlight, but when it's their turn, to step boldly into the spotlight.  Don charms the audience and never stops smiling; Elly's authenticity and great wit are true crowd pleasers; Ann & Cal are all elegance and grace; Robin has pipes for all occasions and is at once all military precision yet a true ham; Matt combines youthful exuberance with musical virtuosity.  I am humbled and honored to have them as the "Friends" part of Marcille Wallis & Friends.  

December 11, 2007
This past weekend was the Rotonda Elks Gaelic & Celtic Christmas Festival.  We (Celtic Heritage Productions) produce the entertainment portion of this two-day festival.  I won't kid you ... it's grueling ... getting up 'way before dawn to set up ... having to use a flashlight for the pack-up at the end of the day.  

But it's fun, too.  From the entertainer's point of view, a festival is one of few opportunities to see other performers.  Most of us work mostly on weekends, so if we're often playing, how can we ever see or hear anyone else play?  One of my favorite things about a Celtic Heritage Productions festival is the jam at the end: all of the performers get up on stage and play/sing who-knows-what.  This past weekend (in my role as emcee), I introduced the jam as one of the highlights for the performers, who never really get the chance to play together.  And later, I was asked by one of the festival-goers, "C'mon, you can be honest with me.  You guys are so tight; you must really play together all the time."  What a compliment!

For the record, the festival included some of my musical best friends: Juniper, Brendan Nolan, West Of Galway, Irish Cream, Goody Haines; and of course my wonderful Marcille Wallis & Friends band, which consisted of Don Pigeon, Frances Pisacane, Elly Gilmore, and Ann & Cal Lloyd.  For me, one of the highlights of the weekend was the dancing, provided by the Ring Of Emerald Irish dancers on Saturday and the Sarasota Scottish Country Dancers on Sunday.  The Ring Of Emerald, especially, got into the Christmas spirit, choreographing much of their material to seasonal music, sporting elf ears and reindeer antlers, and wearing sleigh bells!  They were such a delight!  Check out the photos of all the different acts at http://www.celticheritageproductions.com/rotonda.htm

I'd like to acknowledge our great crew and volunteers:  Louise and Mike Haines, Vicki Delle Donne, Terry Smith, and Diana Lewellen.  And many thanks to the Rotonda Elks Lodge for hosting the event; their volunteers are fantastic as well!  And they did such a great job ordering up the perfect weather this year!

November 20, 2007
Just when you think you've seen everything ...

I've mentioned how much I enjoy the street festivals: getting to play dulcimer out in the fresh air, seeing old friends, making new friends, selling CDs, promoting our upcoming events ... people-watching is enjoyable, too, and, in many of the festivals we enjoy dog-watching.  Dunedin, Florida, the site of last weekend's festival, is one of the best places to see dogs on parade!  It's near a huge dog-racing track, so there are all sorts of rescued Greyhounds to admire; over the years I've also come to recognize the three Chihuahuas who are shuttled around in the baby carriage, the two Boxers, the huge black Great Dane; we saw dogs of all sizes and colors and breeds ...

So who was the Pet of the Weekend?  Click the photo at right to see George, the goose.  Yes, that's right.  An exceptionally well-trained goose, who evidently thinks he's a person.  He was quite a celebrity.  He graciously allowed children and adults alike to pet him.  He certainly wasn't intimidated by the dogs.  He paused, briefly, to check out my CDs ... but his master, who was a few paces ahead, called out, "C'mon, George, you're falling behind!"  And George waddled along, squawking under his breath, to catch up.

We're still chuckling ...

November 14, 2007
I'm lying on the couch at home in Port Charlotte, casting about for ways to occupy my time, when all of a sudden I remember, "My Blog!  It's been forever since I wrote in my Blog!"  Well, it's actually been only two weeks, and two weeks isn't even the longest period of time between entries ... but it has been quite a while, and I've written nothing since arriving back in Port Charlotte.

And though there's nothing much unusual about a person lying on the couch at home, I will make this a true confessional, and reveal that I'm lying here with ice on what I think may be a broken toe: I caught the toe on  my own dulcimer!  Yes, I can just hear the comments: "What, were you trying to kick it into tune?"  Don't call or e-mail me with jabs; I've heard it all already, from Greg.  For the record, I just tripped.

So what's new since Halloween?  Well, there was The Villages Craft Festival; great fun, as always!  Then the short trip down to Port Charlotte ... wow, did the house look BIG after spending the previous six months in a 28' travel trailer!  Mountains of mail ... and I was having all the important stuff forwarded!  Credit card offers, catalogs, offers for free satellite systems; there's a bare spot of land that used to be a forest, all to send me stuff that mostly ended up in File 13, or, in this case, the recycle bin.  It was great to have last weekend off, though I am looking forward to getting back to work, tomorrow, at the Howard Melton Tribute in Arcadia.  I've been working on making selections for the new hymn CD.

And Maggie's getting reacquainted with her back yard.  Except for the throb in my toe, life's good!

October 31, 2007
We're finally back in Florida!  This has been our longest road trip, ever, as it began in early May and won't officially end until we arrive back in Port Charlotte on Monday.  However, any time we're anywhere in Florida between Gainesville and Miami, I feel as if I've come home.  Certainly it began to look more and more like home (that is, the Florida of my youth) when we left I-95 near Ormond Beach and began working our way inland through the Ocala National Forest.  The towns we passed through -- Barberville, Altoona, Umatilla -- retain much more of their Old Florida charm, with their stately oaks and relative lack of chain establishments.  We stayed in Eustis, another Old Florida delight with a well-preserved downtown whose buildings date back to the early part of the 20th Century.  

And our work was done in beautiful Mount Dora, for the 23rd Annual Craft Fair.  Our spot there is nearly perfect, with a view of Lake Dora and the Lakeside Inn; and how can you go wrong when you're just steps away from the Sunshine Mountain Bakery!

On Monday we moved over to Lady Lake, which is quite a different place from the insignificant "bump in the road" I remember from childhood road trips up Hwy 27!  Lady Lake is now, for the most part, a part of The Villages.  Many of you have asked me about The Villages over the years.  They bill themselves as "America's Friendliest Home Town" and I must say that this description is not far off the mark.  I've also observed that if you're bored at The Villages, it's your own fault, as there is entertainment there, and plenty of it, 365 days a year!  Golf is the premier pastime here, and there's such a network of golf cart trails -- even leading to all of the shopping centers from the various neighborhoods --  that one need never drive a car again, if they so desire.  I've laughed over the years at people who've told me, "I'm always so happy and content here; I think there's something in the water."  People have asked my advice on obtaining certain services -- but only if that service is actually located in The Villages, because they do not want to leave!  My own first impression of the place was that, had I not seen oil stains on the streets, I would've thought I was in Disney World.  I'm looking forward to this weekend's craft show, to renew old acquaintances, and especially to promote our Christmas With The Celts concert, which has become an annual event here in The Villages.  More than a few people have told me that their Christmas season would not be complete without Christmas With The Celts.  Hey, in The Villages, is Christmas With The Celts the new Nutcracker?  :)

October 22, 2007
Red Sox Win!  Red Sox Win!  Now that I've got that out of my system ...

It was tough getting out of bed this morning, after staying up to watch last night's game to its happy conclusion.  4:00 AM comes early for anyone, but especially for someone who's been watching baseball past midnight!  We've left Ohio and are heading toward Mount Dora, Florida, by way of Asheville, North Carolina.

The past 10 days in Ohio have been for the most part unseasonably warm, and the leaves slow to change to their autumn hues.  But in the last three or four days we've been treated to a riot of color as the trees have finally begun to break into their rich golds and yellows; deep, almost purplish, reds; and my favorite of all, a shimmering color that's too soft to be red, yet too vibrant to be orange; I've decided it's God's Own Red, and it takes my breath away every time I see it.

Our Ohio place of residence was the Lock 30 Woodlands RV Resort, "officially" located in Lisbon but actually closer to tiny Elkton.  It may be the nicest campground we've ever stayed in, with all of the campsites forming a single-file ring around a huge partially wooded infield.  I'm a little too spoiled to declare it perfect, as we had only intermittent cell phone service and no cable TV, but there was WiFi, a spotless laundry, a game room with pool, foosball and arcade games, and a library.

And there was Blackjack.  When we first arrived, I was a little suspicious of the large black dog that wandered around the grounds.  Since campgrounds are usually very strict about dogs being on leash, I assumed that he must be a stray, or a wayward resident of some nearby farm.  But after observing him a couple of days, I noticed that he made rounds, visiting select campsites, hanging out for a brief period, then moving on.  One day as I left the laundry, he loped over towards me and began to follow me back towards our site.  Knowing that he might not be welcomed by our own pooch, Maggie Muggins, I turned to him and firmly said, "No.  You stay."  To  my amazement, he obeyed.

A few hours later, Greg and I were sitting outside with Maggie when the black dog, quietly and with bowed head, began pacing back and forth at the entrance to our site.  It was as if he were asking permission to visit.  What a polite dog (if a dog can be polite)!  We called to him; slowly and cautiously, he approached us.  But Maggie would have none of it!  She strained at the end of her chain, barking and growling, defending her little territory against this intruder.  So the black dog made a dignified retreat (if a dog can be dignified), as if to say, "I do not go where I am not wanted.  There are plenty of others who welcome me and I don't need to waste my time."

I was sorry for the snippy behavior of my pet, so I followed the dog until we were out of Maggie's sight, then called to him.  He immediately lay down and rolled over which, if you are a dog lover, you know is the dog's way of signifying that he's not a threat and doesn't consider you to be one either.  I petted the huge head and rubbed the belly and as he turned to face me, saw that he had only one eye.  "Poor old fellow," I thought, "what's your story?"  His collar said that he was Blackjack, and listed an address that looked familiar; perhaps the address of the campground itself.  Greg came over then, and the two of them had a brief visit, before "Jack" made off for the rest of his rounds.

Next day I was at the laundry when one of the workers drove up in a golf cart, and who should be her passenger, but Jack.  So I asked her about him, and was told that he was "sort of the campground dog."  As to the eye and the slight limp, I was told that in his younger days, Jack was an inveterate chaser of cars, who liked to pretend to bite at the tires.  But one winter day, the truck that he was chasing slid on a patch of ice, and Jack was hit.  Badly injured, he ran off into the woods -- to die, they thought, and though they searched and called, he was not to be found.  But two days later, Jack came back.  It took a while for him to mend from his injuries, and his blinded eye had to be removed, but he did recover, and his tire-biting days are long past.  Nowadays, Jack trots alongside certain vehicles, occasionally barking, noisily, happily, but always at a safe distance.

I suppose Jack's story is much like the story many of us could tell.  We engage ourselves in foolish pursuits, the possible negative consequences of which are so obvious to practically everyone but ourselves.  Sometimes we encounter suffering and pain -- and not necessarily of the physical kind.  The wisest among us learn from the experience.  But the wisdom is in two parts: one part is the specific lesson learned; one part is in the approach to the lesson.  Dogs have the right approach -- they may appear to possess human virtues such as politeness and dignity, but they are incapable of the bitterness and self-recrimination that we humans wallow in after a setback.  And they certainly are incapable of destructive wishful thinking -- you know, the one where you think over the bad situation and analyze it to determine the specific error that led to your injury, and then you spend lots of time wishing that you could continue your behavior unchanged except for that one outcome.  If Jack were human, he may have decided that the true error was, specifically, chasing cars in icy road conditions, rather than chasing cars in general!

But dogs aren't human -- thank goodness! -- they're dogs, and they live in the here and now, rather than in the what if and if only.  I've long suspected that God gave us dogs as examples of unconditional love, faith, loyalty, trust, living in the present and so much more; yet I know that God's lessons come through whatever "teacher" we are most in tune with.

I'd like to say that Maggie and Jack eventually became best buddies, but that's not what happened.  Oh, there was the time that Greg ducked inside the trailer to fill Maggie's water dish, and returned outside  to find that she'd somehow slipped her lead and was heading full-tilt toward -- you guessed it -- Jack.  We held our breaths as we watched the two dogs circle each other, sniffing at pawing at each other.  When we called to Maggie, Jack turned toward us with a grin (if a dog can grin) and then galloped right over to where we were standing, Maggie frisking right behind him.  When it was Frosty Paw (a frozen treat for dogs) time that night, we gave Maggie her treat, and Jack one too (he happily ate both the ice cream and the paper cup!).  After they'd had their little frolic that afternoon, and later had eaten their treats in companionable silence, Greg and I figured that Maggie had finally warmed to Jack.  But it was not to be.  She continued to snarl and snap whenever he offered to come on our site ... and he continued with his philosophical acceptance of her behavior.

Good-bye, ol' Jack, 'til next year!  You taught me a lot in a short period of time.  Good Boy!    

October 21, 2007
We've just finished the second weekend of "Christmas In The Woods," held in the Shaker Woods of Columbiana, Ohio.  This morning I played for the church service held in the woods.  Click on the photo at left for a view of the Church In The Wildwood and a hint of fall color.

The last 10 days have, in some respects, been pretty quiet, but they've also been eventful.  I'm writing this entry while watching Game 7 of the American League Championship Series; if you pay any attention to Major League Baseball, you know that this is a battle between the Red Sox and the Indians ... and if you follow this blog, you may correctly deduce that I've been gnawing fingernails and gobbling Tums as I've watched my beloved Red Sox pound hits, then get pounded, jump out to big leads, then give up the big leads ... no rollercoaster in the world has as many ups and downs!

Talking about eventful -- this is Big -- I've been asked to play at Dollywood next spring, as part of the Festival of Nations.  Wow!  I'll keep you posted on this one ...   

October 10, 2007
It is the dream of every baseball fan to make a pilgrimage to Cooperstown, New York, the birthplace of baseball and home to its Hall Of Fame.  Greg (a Mets fan) and I (a Red Sox fan) decided to fulfill that dream for ourselves today.

Baseball has been a part of my life since I can remember.  My dad was a huge fan, and some of my fondest memories are of us watching baseball games called by players-turned-TV-commentators Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese.  My grandfather was a fan, too; heck, he had a cat named Stan, after Stan "The Man" Musial.  My brother evidently took after him, as he named our pet chow mix Roger Maris, just a couple of years after Maris beat Babe Ruth's single-season home run record.  My mom got into the act, too, with an amazing trading card collection (that was unfortunately lost to us after my grandmother sold her home, leaving all of the contents of the attic to the new owner).

Young ladies did not play baseball when I was growing up.  At least not formally!  Thus, the DeSoto County (Arcadia, Florida) Little League was deprived of what would have been one of its most consistent hitters, in my best friend Nancy York, and one of its hardest throwers, in me.  We contented ourselves with pick-up games in the vacant lot next to our house; Nancy routinely hit home runs and I was always called upon whenever one of the neighborhood boys needed to break in a new glove.  In later years, after we both began teaching school, Nancy and I would catch as many "Grapefruit League" (Florida's spring training) games as we possibly could, sometimes even taking sick leave to do so!  (I guess it's safe to reveal that now, since we're both retired!)  Nancy's a Red Sox fan, too, so most of our trips were made to parks where the Sox were playing.  I can even still recite the starting lineup for the 1979 team!  Disappointed by the Sox's loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1967 World Series, disbelieving of the loss to the Cincinnati Reds in the '75 World Series, devastated by Bill Buckner's error that helped the New York Mets turn it around and beat the Sox in the '86 World Series ... I cried tears of joy when the Red Sox finally won the 2004 World Series over the Cardinals.  I only wish my all-time favorite player, Carl Yastrzemski, could have been part of that 2004 roster.  At right is an exhibit that pays tribute to "Yaz" and the 1967 team.  Hey, Carl, I finally made it, even if it is 18 years late ...

There's more to Cooperstown than just baseball, Greg and I discovered.  There's also the Glimmerglass Opera that must be awesome, because it certainly has an impressive facility; The Farmers' Museum, with its carefully preserved buildings and demonstrations of farm life; The Fenimore Art Museum -- hey, I didn't realize that James Fenimore Cooper had ties to this area!  I've never read any of his books, but now I'm inspired to do so.  I'm sure we'll pay another visit here one of these years, because the area has a yesteryear charm that is disappearing from the American landscape.  And Maggie Muggins seems to really love it here -- the Amish fellow who works at the KOA drives to work every day in his horse-drawn carriage, and Maggie is absolutely fascinated with that horse!  This afternoon, as we returned to the KOA campground, we were greeted by a cool, crisp afternoon and a little more fall color.  Tomorrow, it's on toward Ohio.

October 9, 2007
We're all "recuperated" now, and headed toward Northern Ohio for Christmas In The Woods.

After the close of The Big E, I was so happy at the prospect of spending a few extra days in Massachusetts -- seems like my whole life I've heard about "Autumn in New England!"  This year, autumn was a little different: extreme record-setting heat delayed the leaves' changing color.  Click on the thumbnail at left to see a photo taken on October 3, and then click on the thumbnail at right for a photo taken just this morning.  Despite the lack of color and the peculiar haze in the air (due to the unseasonal heat), I'm sure you'll agree that these scenes are really beautiful.

The only activity we permitted ourselves during the last week was visiting with the good friends we've made in Western Massachusetts over the past few years.  One evening I got the grand tour of the area from Peggy, whom you may remember as my "guide" to The Big E.  We drove through her hometown of Holyoke, and through Easthampton, Southampton (everywhere a Hampton, Hampton), and had a spectacular sunset dinner at Tavern On The Hill, in Easthampton.  We talked and laughed for hours!

We also spent some time at Collins Tavern, which Greg and I had discovered on our very first trip to the area, five years ago.  The view you see at left is the very one that caught Greg's eye as we were tooling around in a totally unfamiliar area, trying to find materials for our Big E display.  "West Springfield's Best Kept Secret," he mused, "Looks like a friendly place.  Let's stop in after we've finished our errands."

It was a little after lunch time when we got back to Collins.  The menu, hand lettered on a dry-erase board, boasted items such as Sausage Grinder -- $2 ... Meatloaf Sandwich -- $1.75 ... Pot Roast Soup -- $1.75 ... and at the bottom of the board, the phrase I Can't Believe It Myself.  I tried the soup, and I couldn't believe it, either.  It was goood!  We made several stops there before the fair, and on some nights, stopped in after the fair closed.  It was a great refuge from the busy-ness of the fair, a great place to grab a bite of non-"fair food."  And, gradually, we made friends.  Over the years since, we've made even more.

At Collins everybody knows your name ... like "Cheers" of TV fame, without the dysfunction!  On one of the front windows is painted the slogan, "You're a stranger but once" and it's the truth.  Bob LeDoux, the hard-working but ever-smiling owner, is the soup chef and chief cook, and he genuinely likes to see people well-fed and happy.  His daughter, Melissa Cauley, is another one of the hardest-working people I've ever known.  Melissa's vision for Collins has brought a grill and fryer and some delicious new temptations on the menu, like the Philly Cheesesteak, sweet potato fries, and the oddly-named but delicious Buzzy's Big-Ass Kielbasa Sandwich, but the prices remain unbelievably low.

Here's a public "thank-you" to Melissa and her husband, John, for all they've given us over the years: storing our display set-up in their basement, accepting shipments of merchandise for us, finding interesting places for us to have dinner; most of all, smiles and encouragement and good friendship.  And thanks to Bob for the gorgeous jacket, embroidered with a Collins Tavern logo, that he gave to Greg.  Hey, Bob, you wondered if Greg would ever be able to use a heavy lined windbreaker down in Florida -- you gave it to him less than a week ago, and he's already wearing it here in New York!  What a perfectly well-timed gift!  I Can't Believe It Myself!  

October 4, 2007
We're "recuperating" in Southwick, Massachusetts, after our most successful Big E yet.  We're camped in a rural, agricultural area far from Ferris wheels and giant slides.  It gets really, really dark at night and the clear autumn sky is blanketed with stars.  It's quiet, except for the chirping of insects and the occasional hoot of an owl.  A perfect place to unwind from the hectic pace that we kept during the 17 days of The Big E ...

It was so nice to see so many friends from previous years -- and friends of those friends -- all wanting to add to their CD collections, and asking, "What's new?"  I suppose this is as good a time as any to announce that there is a new project in the works, as yet unnamed, but it will be a collection of hymns and familiar liturgical music.  (If you have any suggestions for pieces you'd like to hear included, please write!)  

We made many new friends, which is always one of the happiest aspects of doing fairs and festivals.  There were some special, and unexpected, moments: a surprise visit from my cousin Nancy and her husband Andy, who just happened to be vacationing from Virginia; our friends Rachel and Jeff asking me to play for their wedding here in Massachusetts in October, 2008; the gift of a beautiful ceramic angel from Smita -- who called me an angel, though she surely is one.

And I just can't close without giving a HUGE thank-you to Greg, who certainly did more than his share this year.  I was sick practically the entire fair with a nagging head cold that settled in my chest (which, as of this writing, I still have not completely shaken).  He was in the booth at least an hour early every single day, and closed every single night (remember, these are 12 hour days!), often encouraging me to go back to the trailer several hours before closing, so I could get some rest.  It surely helped!  What would I do without you, Greg? ... and one last thank-you to our faithful pet, Maggie Muggins, who endured long lonely days and shortened walkies, but never once gave us any indication that she wasn't thrilled to death to be a part of such a grand adventure.  Talk about unconditional love!

September 30, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 17

The Big E Loves Celtic Heritage Productions

Today is the final day of The Big E.  Click on the thumbnail for a glimpse of the Celtic Heritage Productions booth.

So many of you have asked just exactly what it is that we do at this fair.  It's a little bit hammer dulcimer performance -- actually a LOT of performance -- but for 17 twelve-hour days this is also our little "store."  In addition to selling my CDs, we sell fun stuff -- beautiful cotton tapestries, tee-shirts with a Celtic cross design, plaster Celtic cross wall hangings -- like items that we ourselves have used and enjoyed over the years.

September 29, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 16

The Big E Offers 'Em Fried, Spiral-Cut, Boiled, Mashed ... and at the Maine Building, Baked

Today is Maine Day.  As I've noted in other posts, there's the usual and ordinary fair food, and then there's the extraordinary food unique to The Big E.  You may think that a baked potato is pretty ordinary, but this long line of people obviously would disagree with you, as they are lined up about 100 deep (the line continues into the building) at 8:30pm.  The line is much, much longer at the typical lunch and dinner hours.  I've never actually sampled a baked potato from the Maine building, because I just don't want to take such a long break, most of which would be spent on line.  I'm sure it's my loss ...

September 28, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 15

The Big E Gives A Glimpse Into The Past

There's something happening at The Eastern States Exposition nearly year 'round.  One of the permanent exhibits is Storrowton Village, a replica of an old New England village complete with schoolhouse, tavern, meeting house (church) and smithy.  Often, there are demonstrations of the blacksmith's craft, as pictured at left.

September 27, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 14

The Big E Has A Sense Of Irony

This beautiful and gentle Percheron is Eros.  His placard also reads, "4 Year Old Gelding."  If you don't understand why I find this ironic, go ask your mother.

September 26, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 13

The Big E Loves A Jersey Girl

I do love the agricultural exhibits!

This pretty Jersey cow doesn't look particularly happy to have her picture taken, but I knew you wouldn't be able to resist those big, brown eyes!

September 25, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 12

The Big E Is Adorable

Who couldn't love llamas and alpacas?  This cutie's name is Grace O'Malley.  'Nuff said.

September 24, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 11

The Big E Focuses On A Job Well Done

There's nothing, or no one, who takes his/her job more seriously than a Border Collie.  It's fun to sneak over to the Mallary (agricultural) Complex to watch Peterson's Working Border Collies in their daily duck-herding demonstrations!  Click on the thumbnail to see pure concentration in action.

September 23, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 10

The Big E Promotes Clean Living

You may recognize the horse as a Clydesdale, but he's not one of the famous Budweiser team.  He's one of the Hallamore Corp. Clydesdales who are, to my mind, even more majestic than their better-known equine kinsmen.  Hallamore, a hauling firm serving Massachusetts and New England for over a century, stables a team of "Clydes" at the Eastern States Exposition during The Big E.  

Just how tall is a Clydesdale?  The man who's washing this horse stands about 6'3".

September 22, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 9

The Big E Is A Shopper's Paradise

Today is Vermont Day.

The Big E, like all fairs, has its mops and miracle knives, but it also has some fine craft that's not typically found at events that also feature cows and rollercoasters.  Another unique aspect of The Big E is the Avenue of States, six buildings, one each devoted to each of the six New England states.  If you know me well, you know I'm not much into shopping.  However, I always make time to shop in the Vermont building, because there I find Vermont Flannel, Cabot Cheese, organic soaps, and products made from emu oil, all produced in Vermont.  Not to mention Ben & Jerry's!

September 21, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 8

The Big E Is Evergreen

Today is New Hampshire Day.

New England farms grow many of the Christmas trees we use in the United States.  Pictured at right is the Reserve Grand Champion in this year's Big E Christmas Tree Competition -- a tree grown in New Hampshire.

September 20, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 7

The Big E Is A Taste Of La Dolce Vita

Today is Massachusetts Day.  I'm very lucky to be in the same building with a booth operated by La Fiorentina Pastry Shop.  La Fiorentina is widely considered to be the very best in Massachusetts ... and in a state which boasts a proud and prominent Italian immigrant influence, that's really saying something!  Click on the thumbnail at the beginning of this post to get a glimpse of the many goodies that are offered here, and please know that it was so difficult to take a picture that would do justice to this fine establishment ... consequently, I ordered this chocolate-dipped rum cake so that I could take a close-up photo.  Gosh, the things I'm willing to do for you! 

September 19, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 6

The Big E Loves A Parade

Today is Connecticut Day.  I do believe Connecticut's nickname should be the Parade State, because although there's a parade every day here at the fair, the Connecticut Day parades are by far the biggest!

September 18, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 5

The Big E Proves That Good Things Come In Small Packages

Today is Rhode Island Day.  Rhode Island may be the smallest of the United States, but it's big on seafood.

When I first came to The Big E, in 2003, I asked my friend Peggy, who grew up in the area and has been coming to the fair practically her whole life, if there was anything beyond the usual "fair food" that I should check out.  She rattled off her "short list" (and I've tried everything on the list, many items again and again) but when she named "clam fritters" I did have to stop her for a description.  "Never mind," she said, "just try them; you'll love 'em."  She directed me to the Rhode Island Building, where to my delight I found not only Kenyon's Clam Cakes (aka fritters) but Tucker Seafood, serving scrumptious calamari, scallops, shrimp, and stuffed quahogs (clams).  I usually visit the Rhode Island Building several times during the course of the fair, because it would be quite impossible to sample all of the good bounty in one visit.  

'Scuse me, now.  I'm going to get in line for some fritters.  Just to make sure Peggy still knows what she's talking about, you know!

September 17, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 4

The Big E Is Family Oriented

... and that includes swine families!  One of the most enduring, and endearing, attractions is the sow with her litter of piglets.  The Peking acrobats may have come and gone, the trapeze artists may perform death-defying stunts, but there's nothing quite as captivating as the antics of a hungry piglet.  And after a good meal, there's no one who sleeps more soundly!

September 16, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 3

The Big E Teaches Patience

The Chick Hatchery is one of the most popular exhibits at The Big E.  You may think that waiting for a chick to emerge from an egg sounds as exciting as waiting for water to boil, or watching paint dry.  But believe me, watching this little miracle is touching and thrilling ... and watching the crowds as they watch the eggs is great fun!  

September 15, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 2

The Big E Promotes Cultural Awareness

Notice the thatched roof, and the sign, which says "cead mile failte (one hundred thousand welcomes) to The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland."  Each year, businesses from Dingle set up shop at The Big E, bringing photography, fine jewelry, CDs, clothing, and much more.  It's a little taste of "The Old Sod" for the many Irish-Americans who live in New England.

September 14, 2007
17 Reasons I Love The Big E -- Day 1

The Big E Is A Tradition

... and the gentleman pictured at left personifies that tradition.  Meet Ray, who's worked at The Big E in some capacity for over 70 years.  He tells me that his very first job at the fair was carrying water for the elephants.  He's been promoted over the years, because he now manages the Young Building, where our Celtic Heritage booth is located.  (He is also the sharpest dresser in the whole fair!)

Why seventeen reasons to love The Big E, you say?  Why not ten, like David Letterman's List, or 25, like the college football polls?  It's simple: The Big E lasts 17 days!

September 12, 2007
We arrived in West Springfield, home of The Big E,  yesterday.  The fair actually starts Friday, but the days just prior to opening day are frenzied, as vendors get their booths built and the midway rides are set up and the first rounds of livestock are loaded into their barns.

Maybe I should explain The Big E, because although it's billed year-round on this website as "New England's Autumn Tradition" and an "historic 17 day event," those two phrases aren't adequate descriptions, particularly for those of you who have never heard of the event.  Think fair -- county fair, state fair -- complete with rides and plenty of agricultural exhibits.  Imagine how huge that fair would have to be in order to represent all that is special about New England -- that's The Big E.  Oh yes, there are plenty of wild rides on the midway, and livestock is constantly being rotated in and out for judging, and there are salesmen promoting the very latest in chamois cloths or vegetable juicers or cookware.  There's all sorts of irresistibly fattening food like spiral fries, funnel cakes and fried Oreos.  There's entertainment -- this year, it includes Taylor Hicks and Montgomery Gentry and Daughtry.  But The Big E also includes some pretty fine craft and a wonderful educational exhibit called Storrowton Village, a recreation of an old New England settlement.

To me, though, the crown jewels of The Big E are six buildings dedicated to each of the six New England states.  Each state building has exhibits to represent industry that's important to that state: for example, Rhode Island offers a variety of delicious seafood, while Maine sells baked potatoes.  Vermont sells cotton candy made from maple sugar!  (The other three states are New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.)  All entice visitors to tour and vacation in their state.  I can't spend nearly enough time in that section of the fair, because I'm so busy in my own section ...

The Young Building, or International Plaza, is the location of the Celtic Heritage Productions booth.  In addition to me performing on the dulcimer and selling CDs, we also offer Celtic tapestries, Celtic crosses made of plaster, and a beautiful T-shirt with a Celtic cross design.  Over a million people come through the fair during the 17 days, so it's great exposure for our company.  It's also great fun to be part of an international bazaar: our nearest neighbor sells African imports, and there are booths offering products made in South America and India.  There's one whole section occupied by vendors from the Dingle Peninsula of Ireland.  One of my favorite booths is the one operated by an Italian-American bakery!

Does that paint a clearer picture of The Big E for you?  I know I haven't done it justice, and probably haven't remembered to mention many of the things that make it so fascinating to me.  But it's my goal, during the fair, to post as many days as I can.  Hope you'll enjoy it!

September 10, 2007
This post is being written from the passenger seat of our cargo van, as we make our way up I-81 toward The Big E!

We've just finished the four-day Yellow Daisy Festival, in Stone Mountain Park, near Atlanta.  The photo at right was shot yesterday evening, after the conclusion of the show, and after the sun had set behind the mountain.  (Click on the thumbnail for a better view.)  I don't know enough geology to tell you anything about the mountain itself; from what I gather, a "stone mountain" like this is uncommon.  One side of the mountain boasts the world's largest relief carving (sculpted by the man who later went on to carve Mount Rushmore) depicting three Confederate heroes of the American Civil War: Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis.  The surrounding park is a popular attraction; area residents cycle and jog ... there's a golf course ... in October there's a great Highland Games ... and always, the weekend after Labor Day, the Yellow Daisy Festival.

We had so much fun this year!  What made it especially fun were our neighbors.  On one side there was Cathyrn, who made the most unusual jewelry, and from whom I now have four brand new pairs of earrings, including one custom-made just for me.  On the other side, there was Tal, a sort of neo-impressionist oil painter, and his wife Jody; Tal's work is amazing, most of it water scenes; I could've sworn I saw the water rippling and shimmering in the sunlight.  On the other side of Tal, there were cartoonists Bob and Dee, whom we've known for several years; Dee makes me tea and Bob makes me laugh, which I suppose is most appropriate, since the name of their business is Laugh Out Loud!  When I've written about the craft shows, I've mentioned how much I enjoy meeting the people who come to the shows, but I've never spoken about neighbors.  They're important, too: almost always, they're ready with a helping hand or a good laugh to keep you motivated when the crowd has thinned out.  They pitch in when the crowd gets overwhelming.  They watch your booth for you when you ... ummm ... need to be away from your booth.  At this point, I should also mention Cody, a young man whose mother and grandmother had a booth close by.  I saw Cody helping out at other booths from time to time, and he often stopped by to help me -- though he probably didn't realize that he was helping me -- by listening to me play and asking questions from time to time.  Thanks, Cody!

And now I'm publishing the post from the KOA near Williamsport, Maryland.  Conococheague River runs through the campground, to eventually empty into the mighty Potomac.  It's quiet and peaceful, just what we need after an 11-hour ride!  Tomorrow, it's on to West Springfield, Massachusetts, and ... The BIG E!

September 3, 2007
We're relaxing at beautiful Lake Keowee, in South Carolina, after a fun and successful weekend at the Holiday Fling in Cashiers, North Carolina.

Once again, I've let too much time lapse since my last post.  Back in Ohio, I spent a lot of time and energy -- and needless worry -- on a couple of minor aggravations with our vehicle that I'd just as soon not get into in this post.  As much traveling as we do, it's inevitable that something's going to go wrong now and again.  It's all fixed now; we didn't lose any work time, so I'm taking an "all's well that ends well" outlook.

We spent a little bit of time sightseeing before leaving Ohio.  Went back down to East Liverpool and actually drove around the downtown.  In its heyday, East Liverpool must've been some place!  Its chief industry was, and is, pottery.  In reading some of my other posts, you may have gathered that I'm a sucker for architecture, and in that regard, I did find the city fascinating.  

We then crossed the Ohio River, sort of by accident, and ended up in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.  No problem, we thought, we'll just cross back into Ohio over the next bridge ... which we did, about 20 miles down the road!  It was a ruggedly beautiful trip, passing through those little towns perched high above the Ohio River ... and in Weirton, passing right through a steel mill.  The experience was certainly unusual, and utterly unlike anything I'd ever done before.

Shaker Woods, that last weekend, was brutally HOT on Saturday; Sunday's weather was gorgeous.  Took Monday off, then headed for the Sunny South.  I mentioned in my August 15 post how much of a thrill it is to pass over the New River Gorge.  Click on the thumbnail for a photo of the gorge.  You may notice, way, way down toward the bottom of the gorge, a bridge; I guess that must be the old bridge for crossing the gorge.  Can you imagine?  What a tedious trip, working your way all the way to the bottom of the gorge to cross the bridge, then working your way back up again!  Yes, this photo was taken from a "scenic overlook" near the new bridge, which just happens to be the longest -- and one of the highest! -- single-arch bridge in the world.  A little scary!

August 20, 2007
It's a rainy day in Ohio ... sounds like the opening lines of a country ballad, doesn't it?

We just finished the second of three weekends at the Shaker Woods Festival.  Saturday was a great day -- gorgeous weather brought big crowds, and we saw many old friends as well as meeting new ones.  On Sunday it rained all day long, which made it a looong day, as few people wanted to brave the weather for an outdoor festival.  Overall, though, it was a good weekend!

Last week, in fact on the day of my last post to this blog, we attended an Allman Brothers concert at the Post-Gazette Pavilion.  Though this venue nominally serves greater Pittsburgh, you couldn't tell that by the route we took to get there!  We left our campground and headed south to East Liverpool, hugged the Ohio River for a while, crossed the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia and finally, not too far over the Pennsylvania state line, was Burgettstown and the P-G Pavilion.  Except for East Liverpool, which appears to be more city than town, much of our route was quite rural; other places along the road were quite industrial, and reminded me a little bit of Lancashire, England, the area that my Wallis ancestors left for ... West Virginia?  Interesting ...

The opening act for the Allmans was RatDog, whose front man, Bob Weir, was one of the Grateful Dead.  They played for two solid hours, almost completely non-stop, going from one great song into the next.  They did a lot of the Dead's most popular stuff, as well as Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" and an old Appalachian ballad, "Pretty Peggy-O."  (see July 29 entry)  Weir's a great guitar player, and his lead guitar player was nothing short of amazing.  Warren Haynes came out and joined them on a couple of tunes.

Sure, most concerts last only a couple of hours, but not this night!  After a 15 minute set change, we got two more hours ... of the Allman Brothers.  I swear, I have never in my life seen anyone play guitar like Derek Trucks.  I do know rudimentary stuff about the guitar, and though I cannot come close to playing like Bob Weir or Warren Haynes, I at least understand and know what they're doing.  But I couldn't even figure out what Derek Trucks was doing, except producing amazing sound.  Everyone in the current Allman Brothers line-up is so accomplished, and so professional!  Susan Tedeschi made a guest appearance, too; she's really powerful -- and not a bad guitar player, herself!  You go, girl!

And I couldn't blog about the Allmans without mentioning Gregg, who was in great voice, and seemed to be very healthy and happy.  

This concert was one of the most fun I have ever attended, because everyone in the audience knew every song, and delighted in hearing the live rendition, and singing and dancing along.

The other really neat thing I want to mention about last week is "Our Daily Bread," a restaurant and bakery in downtown Columbiana, OH.  Greg and I enjoy finding and supporting locally owned and operated establishments, whenever we can.  Not that there's not a certain security in visiting the familiar chains ... but don't you find that parts of America are starting to look like any other part of America?  There's nothing unique about having a toasted Italian sub at Quizno's, or a pizza with extra cheese at Pizza Hut.  But give me the Italian sub or the pizza at "Our Daily Bread," any day!  And the fresh-baked breads (daily, except Sunday) are so wonderful, and so reasonably priced, that if I lived here, I don't think I'd ever buy bread at the supermarket again!

August 15, 2007
Well!  It's been quite a while since my last journal entry!  There's sort of an excuse: I've been busy.  Much of it has been a "good busy" ... and it hasn't been all work ...

A couple of days after my July 29 entry, I had a really nice visit with my Uncle Charlie (see July 21 entry) and our cousin, Norma Dillingham Morgan.  Norma and I also did a little bit of window shopping and had a fabulous lunch in Weaverville, NC.

And then came the Mount Mitchell Craft Fair.  The 51st Edition of the show in Burnsville, NC, and for the last five years it's been a great one for us.  We have met so many wonderful people in Burnsville over the years; many have become great supporters of my music.  It's so gratifying to have people come by and say how much they're enjoying their CDs and asking, "Whatcha got new?"  Friday was great fun, and Saturday was even more fun, as I was joined on guitar by Pat Schosser.  What a trooper she is!  She stayed all day long -- constantly having to re-tune because of the heat -- always smiling, playing all of "my" tunes that she knew and learning all the rest.  

The very next day, Sunday, it was breakfast and an all-too-brief visit with my brother, Marsden, and his wife, Sheila, who were visiting from Nashville, TN.  Not long after they left, we were joined by Jerry Lane, the gentleman whom many of you know as the Celtic Heritage Productions "caretaker extraordinaire," and his lfriend, Alice Smith.  

Next day, Jerry, Alice and I toured the Biltmore Estate.  Because it was one of the hottest days of the year, we paid an early visit to the gardens first, then checked out the house.  I hope Jerry and Alice enjoyed having me as guide -- my memories, and what impresses me, are not always the things that the estate caretakers wish to emphasize!  (For the record, my favorite rooms are the Winter Garden, the bowling alley, the music conservatory, the servants' sitting rooms ... there are more ... hmmm ... now that I think about it, I have too many favorites!  Maybe I should say that my favorite room is the one I'm currently in?)  Jerry treated us to lunch at Deerpark Restaurant, my first time dining there.  Won't be the last!  They have some unusual, and very creative, dishes there: we started our meal with a cold peach and champagne bisque.  Oh, my!  Was that ever yummy!  And I could've kept on eating the Tomato and Vidalia Onion Au Gratin, but then how would I have had room for the wonderful dessert offerings?

The very next day, Greg, Maggie Muggins and I headed out for Ohio.  It's always a thrill to pass through the wild and beautiful New River Gorge, in West Virginia.  Our overnight stop was in Sutton, WV, at the Flatwoods RV Park.  It's improbably located right behind one of the largest and most lavish Days Inns I've ever seen.  And on the property is the Mountain Lakes Amphitheatre (I hope I'm remembering the name correctly), a truly impressive outdoor facility that will one day host some big-name acts, mark my words.

Now we're in New Waterford, OH.  At least, that's the official address of our campground, though we're physically closer to East Fairfield and Rogers (home of one of the largest flea markets I have ever seen in my life).  We're here to do the Shaker Woods Festival, in Columbiana, which is 7 miles up the road.  This is good Ohio farm land; there're cornfields everywhere, and man is that corn delicious!  We always get good produce while in Ohio.

And last night, Greg and I drove into Pittsburgh to catch the opening game of the Pirates' three-game series against the Mets.  Greg's a big Mets fan, so this one was special, even though any game would've been fun.  The Pirates no longer play in Three Rivers Stadium, but PNC Park, which is located on the Allegheny River, right next to beautiful Three Rivers Park and the Roberto Clemente Bridge.  We could not take the time to explore Pittsburgh, which is a very appealing city, at least architecturally.  Perhaps we'll save that for a return visit.  And the Mets won!  It was a good game ... for the visiting crowd.

I want to close this blog with a big thank-you to all who have loved my CD, "Be Thou My Vision," over the five years since its release date.  We have noticed a big upturn in its sales on the CD Baby website, and know that much of this success is due to repeat customers, and to your referrals.  I am humbled and honored, and "Thanks" does not seem adequate, but ... "Thanks."  

July 29, 2007
Just finished reading If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O.  Now about halfway through The Road.  Click here to see the rest of my summer reading list.

July 22, 2007
Another Shindig!  (See entry for July 16)  This one has a great story ...  

Greg and I got an unexpected call from our friend and fellow musician Jasmine Hart, of Juniper, who's been teaching at a camp near Cold Mountain.  Jas had the day off and was doing some R&R in Asheville and Black Mountain, when on the spur of the moment, she gave us a call.  Naturally, we invited her to come visit us in Swannanoa.  When Jas got here, she revealed that Monday would be her birthday, and she just wanted to treat herself to something more luxurious than Boy Scout Camp!  (Sure sounds reasonable, right?)  So we invited her to stay in the area and experience her first Shindig, later to visit Barley's.

At Shindig, Jasmine and I were invited to perform on stage.  While we were rehearsing and Jas getting her chops back, we were joined by Mary, a fiddler from nearby Morganton, and later by Jennifer, the fiddler from Arizona with whom I jammed last week.  The four of us were going to perform as "Shindig's Celtic Women."  But at the last minute, along came Mike, an Alabaman with a washboard bass.  It was a blast!  It's not always easy, finding performance-quality pieces from among such a diverse group and on such short notice.  But we put together a credible, and very fun, set of "Road to Lisdoonvarna / Swallowtail Jig / Morrison's" followed by "St. Anne's Reel."

And later, we did indeed go to Barley's.  Happy Birthday to You, Jasmine!

July 21, 2007
Remember this photo from the inside of my CD, "A Celtic Heritage?"  If you do, then you may already realize that this is a picture of my dad, as this photo accompanied the album dedication to him.  Here's the rest of the story:

My father, George Marsden Wallis, Jr., was born in Asheville, North Carolina, on March 29, 1926.  My grandfather, George Wallis, was manager of the Biltmore Dairy, and the whole family actually lived on the Biltmore Estate.  So this photo of Daddy and "Judge" was taken at their home on the Estate.  

The Wallis kids, along with the children of other Biltmore farm families, had free access to most parts of the Estate; in the words of Daddy's younger brother, Charlie, "I was 13 years old before I realized we didn't own the place!"  So growing up on such a vast estate must've had a glorious aspect, at least from a child's point of view, and certainly The Depression was not as much of a hardship for them as it was for most of America, especially the Appalachian South.  But then along came World War II, when most of the able-bodied young men were called away from farm duties to fight in the European and the Pacific Theaters.  My grandfather's work load essentially tripled, and more responsibility for farm work subsequently fell on the shoulders of my dad and his brother, who were still relatively young boys.  I remember hearing them talk about getting off of the school bus at the Lodge Gate (which was, and remains, the entrance to the Biltmore Estate) to find a parked truck awaiting them, which meant that they'd be driving to Burnsville or some nearby community for a farm-related errand.  My grandmother, Etta Dillingham Wallis, died during that time, no doubt adding to a certain -- what was it?  bitterness? -- that seemed to remain with my father all of his life.  (This photo of Margaret, my father Marsden, Grandmother Etta, Charlie, and Grandfather George was obviously taken during more carefree, times.)

When Daddy left North Carolina, he vowed never to return to live there again, and he kept his promise.  He was careful to take my brother and me to Biltmore on our very first visit to Asheville, and we made many visits in subsequent years.  But he never talked too much about his life there; sadly, he even spoke very little about my grandmother.  I suppose that's part of my "fascination" with North Carolina; I am looking for clues to my heritage.  And perhaps, since Daddy's been gone for over three years now, I am trying to feel connected with him.

So why is this significant today, you wonder?  Well, yesterday, my dog (Maggie Muggins) and I visited Biltmore Estate.  She's not allowed in the grand house, naturally!  But we visited the farm and garden area near the Horse Barn, where we saw chickens and horses and sheep and donkeys (her first introduction to donkeys, which completely ignored her).  We walked around the gardens where they grow much of the food for the various restaurants located on the Estate, and saw nature's littlest farmers -- insects -- swarming happily over the flowers.  I'm not sure that I accomplished much in the way of finding clues to my heritage!  But it was a nice visit.  We went early in the morning, going directly to the farm and bypassing the house, which is naturally the first thing that tourists want to see.  So there were no crowds -- very few people out there at all, actually -- and it was very peaceful.  We had a very good time -- and after all that excitement, fresh air, and sunshine, Maggie slept all afternoon.  Since I have an annual pass, I'll make a point of taking her back once or twice more while we're in the area.  Who knows?  Maybe Maggie was the one making connections to the past: channeling ol' Judge! 

July 16, 2007
We're back in Swannanoa, now; actually we arrived a week ago today.  These days have been somewhat lazy and uneventful, and I'm sure I will look back on them longingly when we are running at fever pitch at The Big E!

I've been doing more reading this summer.  When we first arrived here back in May, I got a temporary library card from the Black Mountain Public Library, and promptly checked out Elizabeth Edwards's Saving Graces and James Webb's Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America.  Click here if you're interested in seeing my reading list as it develops.

Last Saturday night we went to Shindig On The Green in downtown Asheville.  Shindig is a summer tradition 41 years strong; there's a stage with lots of clogging and mountain music and dozens of acts, most of which are impromptu bands formed in the various jamming areas.  For many of us, the jamming is the main event!  Last Saturday, I jammed with David (mountain dulcimer) and Leina (low whistle) from Barcelona, Spain; Bob (mando, banjo and bones) and Andrea (whistle) from St. Louis, Missouri; Jennifer (fiddle) from somewhere in Arizona, a young 5-string banjo player whose name I never got, and my buddy Evan Reilly, who plays mandolin.  It's always fun and challenging, finding common musical ground, especially among a group from such diverse areas!

Now it's cooling off after a late afternoon thundershower and I'm seeing a few fireflies winking in the brush.  Some insects are buzzing merrily away, and occasionally I'll hear the lonesome sound of the train whistle.

July 5, 2007
Today I paid a visit to the Mast General Store.  There are several Mast Generals around Western Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, but only one original, and it's been operating in Valle Crucis, NC, since 1883.  Even today, the store is remote -- there's not another general store, nor even convenience store, for miles -- but 124 years ago, it must've been a lifesaver for many a family living in the "Valley of the Cross."  

The store has everything you need.  On the main floor, you can buy hardware, cast iron cookware, cured ham  and books.  There are barrels of candy for the kiddies to pick through.  "Earth-Friendly" Bon Ami polishing cleanser, which has been around almost as long as Mast General, is located next to more modern earth friendly products.  There's Yardley lavender hand cream and Boraxo Powdered Hand Soap and Burt's Bees Products.  There's even a Post Office!  Ascend the stairs, which creak and sigh with every step, to find Carhartt overalls, Chaco sandals and "Life Is Good" tee shirts.  Buy yourself a walking stick or even a musical instrument.  Who needs Wal-Mart?

A half mile away is the Mast Annex, which houses more clothing selections and outdoor gear -- and ice cream!  It's a nice effort at coordinating with the original store -- the stairs groan under even a child's weight -- but of course the floors and counters don't have that well-worn patina of 124 years of footprints, fingerprints, dust and polish.  Oh, the stories the old building could tell!

The visit to Mast General Store is also special because of the lack of development in the immediate area.  May it ever be so!  Somehow, the old building would lose some of its magic if it were located next to a strip mall or housing development, rather than this open field ...

I enjoyed today's trip into the past, and apparently I'm not alone in my hunger to connect with the simpler times of long ago.  There were mobs of visitors, and most of them did some shopping, but many of them were content just to hang out on the back porch of the general store, sipping a Cheerwine or an RC Cola and enjoying a brief respite from the hectic pace of modern life.

June 27, 2007
Just look at the cool, rushing mountain stream!  It's Laurel Creek, and it runs through the Flintlock Campground mere feet from the back of our Airstream Trailer.  It's delicious, being lulled to sleep each night by the sound of water tumbling over the rocks.  We're near Boone, in North Carolina's High Country now, to vend and perform for "Independence Weekend in the Mountains" in nearby Banner Elk.

Much has changed in this area since the last time I was here for any length of time.  To give you an example of how radically it's changed: In the summer of 1993, my mother, a friend, and I had lunch at Dan'l Boone Inn (in Boone) and came out to find that my car battery had died.  No problem, the local AAA-approved emergency service towed my 1992 Acura Vigor to their garage ... and while my battery was being replaced, I passed the time answering questions for people (garage personnel and curious passersby alike) who'd gathered to stare at the strange luxury sport vehicle that had been driven into town by an "Outlander."  Now the area is full of folks who drive Acura ... and Lexus, and Infiniti, not to mention all the German and Swiss automakers' SUVs and sports cars!  The steep slopes and high ridges are now covered with pricey condos and trophy homes.  Traffic is crazy busy, and maybe it's my imagination, but I think it's hotter than it used to be; surely it's hotter out in the middle of the acres and acres of pavement that surround all the new shopping areas.

But right now, it's pretty cool and blissful; there's no traffic noise, only the sound of rushing water, here in our little plot on Laurel Creek.  

June 23, 2007
It was tough getting up early this morning, after last night's performance in Jonesborough.  Yet, this scene, taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway's "Three Knobs Overlook," is only one of several such spectacular views that I saw on my way to perform as part of "Art Along The Parkway" at Crabtree Meadows ...  the exhilaration of being on top of that part of the world, breathing in the cool, crisp mountain air, made my lack of sleep much less disagreeable!  :)    

June 22, 2007
Music On The Square, Jonesborough, Tennessee!  I had no idea what to expect, never having performed, nor even visited, there before ...

The way into Jonesborough off of I-26 is a winding two-lane road that hugs the Nolichucky River for a while, and makes its way through farm country.  For me, that was the first clue that we were heading into someplace very special.  The second clue?  As we entered the city limits, I noticed that all of the power lines had been buried, thus allowing the well-preserved 19th and Early 20th Century buildings to be framed only by each other and the beautiful sky.

The main thing that makes Jonesborough so special, though, is its residents.  Knowing that the area is populated with the descendants of its Scots-Irish settlers, I had a good idea that this was a town that loved music, but I was honestly overwhelmed at their enthusiastic reception of Juniper and me.  Check out the picture: can you believe the size of the crowd that assembled well over an hour before we were scheduled to perform?  (Other photos are, or soon will be, posted on the official Music On The Square website.)  For Frances, Jasmine and me, this was a great finale to our short series together.  Special thanks to Steve Cook, who worked with me for over a year to bring us to Jonesborough.  Thanks, too, to our attentive sound man, Phil; and it was a treat to finally meet and hear Chuck Brodsky, who followed us on stage.  The biggest thanks of all go to the citizens of Jonesborough, for appreciating our music and making us feel so welcome!

June 18, 2007
It's official!  I'm on MySpace!  Still working on my Profile (grrrr... I'm so used to co-managing this site with Greg, and I have to learn all new tricks to manage things on MySpace!), but go ahead and check out www.MySpace.com/MarcilleWallis ... and if you're on MySpace as well, let's be Friends!  :)

June 17, 2007
Last night I performed with Frances Pisacane and Jasmine Hart, aka "Juniper," at the Asheville East KOA.  We had a blast!  My favorite moments: hearing/seeing Frances and Jasmine honor Frances's infant son in The Ballad of Eugene James, while Frances's husband, proud new Daddy Ed Ross, held Eugene for the audience to see ... having the audience in full chorus on I'll Fly Away and Amazing Grace ... watching the intensity of audience members who were clapping along to The Wild Rover for the very first time.  It's great fun to help put smiles on people's faces!

June 15, 2007
Each spring, in preparation for our long tour, I have the challenging, but nonetheless pleasant, task of selecting a “few” CDs to take along for the ride.  So who’s traveling with us this summer?  Click here to find out!

June 13, 2007
Isn't it time to set up a realistic accounting system?  One to include damage to air or water or land, to the health of a human being?

The above words were penned by author Wilma Dykeman, in her novel Return The Innocent Earth.  Today I attended a memorial service honoring Wilma, and it was glorious, and humbling, and thrilling, and educational.  I can't remember a time when Wilma Dykeman's name was not known to me; I knew of her first because her name was on the dust jacket of The French Broad, an autographed First Edition of which sat on my parents' bookshelf (as it now has an honored place on mine).  In later years I would read some of her works, and I came to know of her as friend to my great aunt, Dexter Dillingham, and my cousin, Norma Dillingham Morgan.

But I don't believe I fully realized, until today, what an exceptional human being she was.  She wrote about the environment before Rachel Carson published Silent Spring.  She wrote about race relations before Martin Luther King made his famous "I Have A Dream" speech.  Her novels featured strong female characters before "Women's Lib" came into full swing.  Today's celebration included practically a Who's Who of North Carolina -- including some of my favorite authors, namely Fred Chappell, John Ehle, and Sharyn McCrumb -- and all of them, even her contemporaries, seemed as awed by her as I now am.

In the words of her son, James Stokely III, "I would put her in the 'renaissance' tradition.  She had such a broad spectrum of talents, such an impressive series of artistic paths.  She turned out to be good at everything she tried.  And she turned out to be very good at a few things."  Someone I should do well to emulate, I believe.

June 4, 2007
We've been in Swannanoa for three weeks today.  This is also the first anniversary of my mom's passing.  I wanted to mark the occasion in a special way ... but not in a sad way!  I've been toying with the idea of a Blog for some time now, and it occurred to me that I could remember my mother with the creation of something new.  After all, she encouraged my writing, in addition to fostering my love of music, so the online journal of her working musician daughter seemed a suitable tribute!

So, as I said, we (that is, Greg, Maggie Muggins and I) have been in Swannanoa, NC, for three weeks today.  This is the fourth stop since leaving our Florida home for our annual summer/fall tour.  First stop was the 2nd Annual Dunnellon Celtic Festival, which was unfortunately rained out on the day our band was scheduled to perform.  (It wasn't a total loss for me personally, as the trip yielded two visits to Randy's Rib Shack ... if you're a seafood lover, the first serving of their All-You-Can-Eat fish IS probably ALL you CAN possibly eat!)

Second stop was a purely R&R venture into Darien and Savannah, GA.  Next on the agenda: Pilot Mountain, NC ... and if you think the name of the town sounds oddly familiar, then you've probably watched the old Andy Griffith Show a few times, and are remembering the numerous references that residents of "Mayberry" made to nearby "Mount Pilot."  The real-life Pilot Mountain is very close to Mount Airy, Griffith's home town.  Mount Airy is cute, the historic part of town fairly well-preserved, and if you go, be sure to stop at The Snappy Lunch for a delicious trip back in time!  Our trip to Pilot Mountain was great fun in a different way ... we were part of the town's 25th Annual MayFest ... what a treat!

And then on to Swannanoa, which we think of as our "home away from home," since we spend more time here than anywhere else on our tour: this year, we'll spend about two months, total, here.  We've enjoyed a visit from Greg's sister and brother-in-law, a couple of visits to Asheville's Barley's Taproom, and numerous campfires.  We just finished the 10th Annual Black Mountain Arts & Crafts Show, and it was great to see so many old friends while making so many new ones!

As the tee-shirts that you see everywhere up here say: Life Is Good. 

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